Endothelin

Since then, through numerous clinical and experimen-tal investigations, it has become evident that ET-1, beyond itsfunction as a vasoactive peptide, also plays a seminal role inthe atherogenic process by enhancing mitogenesis and induc-ing extracellular matrix formation. The role of ET-1 as anactive participant in the atherogenic process is underscoredby the observations that endothelin is highly and ubiquitouslyexpressed in the extracellular space and the intracellularcompartment (macrophages, myointimal cells, myofibro-blasts,andendothelialcells)ofhumancoronaryatheromatoustissue.